This invention relates to a machine for scrubbing or shampooing rugs or carpeted floor surfaces, for scrubbing hard floor surfaces, or for waxing and polishing hard floor surfaces.
A variety of machines have been devised for cleaning rugs or carpets through the use of detergents generated and applied in the form of a dry foam in the path of shampooing brushes intended to work the foam into the pile to entrap the dirt held therein, with the foam and entrapped dirt then being extracted from the carpet surface through a vacuum pickup system. A disadvantage of some machines is that the cleaning medium and entrained dirt must be collected in a separate operation. This results in extra work, considerable wetting of the nap surface for more difficult removal of the dirt, and longer drying time.
An object of this invention is to provide an improved floor surface cleaning machine having the capability to shampoo and remove surface dirt from a carpet surface in one operation, to scrub and remove surface dirt from a hard floor surface in one operation, or to apply wax to and polish a floor surface in one operation.
A further object of this invention is to provide a floor surface cleaning machine having a cleaning solution foaming system within the machine and a pressurized foam dispensing system.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a rug cleaning machine having means for scrubbing the pile, removing the dirt from the pile, and lifting the pile to original position in one operation.
Another object of this invention is to provide a rug cleaning machine wherein the machine support and drive rollers function as squeegies to direct the cleaning foam and entrapped dirt toward the vacuum pickup nozzles.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a floor surface cleaning machine having an improved solution dispensing mechanism including means for forming a foam, means for effecting flow of the foam under pressure, and means for controlling the rate of flow of foam to the floor surface.
For accomplishing these objects, a machine according to the invention includes a housing having front and rear ends in relation to normal movement over a floor surface in one direction, and having means supporting the housing for movement along the floor surface. The housing includes supply means for supplying a cleaning medium, including dispensing means disposed at the front thereof; brush means mounted under the housing behind and adjacent to the dispensing means; and power means in the housing for producing movement of the brush means in the floor plane relative to the housing. The cleaning medium supply means includes a supply tank in the housing, having a main chamber for containing a liquid solution. A source of compressed air communicates with the tank main chamber for pressurizing the tank and for aerating the solution to produce a foam of the solution within the main chamber. The tank includes an elongated transverse trough defining a dispensing chamber; and an adjustable gate means for regulating the flow of solution foam from the supply tank main chamber into the dispensing chamber.
The novel features and the advantages of the invention, as well as additional objects thereof, will be understood more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.